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nuuamuikkunen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I felt like the beginning of the book was slow - perhaps because English isn’t my mother language, perhaps because of the writing. But I nearly did not finish it because I didn’t find the characters or plit that interesting.
But I think about half way the story finally picked up pace and I couldn’t stop reading. For me there is always an uneasy feeling present whenever I read a book I know is based on actually historical events, eventhough the story in the book is fiction. But it’s important to not sugar coat the history eventhough the actual story might not have happened af all the way it’s written in the book. And I think Rosella really did a great job with this.
But I think about half way the story finally picked up pace and I couldn’t stop reading. For me there is always an uneasy feeling present whenever I read a book I know is based on actually historical events, eventhough the story in the book is fiction. But it’s important to not sugar coat the history eventhough the actual story might not have happened af all the way it’s written in the book. And I think Rosella really did a great job with this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, War, Infidelity, and Abortion
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Miscarriage
lorees_reading_nook's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
In 1938, Nazi Germany is fighting a war on two fronts. Rosa Sauer's husband, Gregor, joins the Wehrmacht and is sent to the Russian front. When a bomb destroys their apartment in Berlin, Rosa moves to Gross-Parsch, to the home of Gregor's parents in East Prussia. Soon after she arrives, she is one of ten women chosen as a food taster for the Fuhrer, who is hiding away in the Wolfsschanze.
I did not know that Hitler had food tasters before reading this book but perhaps it should not have come as a surprise as his paranoia, especially at this stage of the war, is well known. What these women had to face, three times a day, seven days of the week is unimaginable. Can you imagine eating and constantly wondering whether that morsel will be your last? Can you comprehend the fear and the uncertainty, the desire to stay alive? I admit it left me slightly shaken and oddly frightened. Hitler never makes an appearance in this novel and yet his presence is keenly felt. It was not a nice feeling but it was well executed as I never doubted for a moment the terror that was the constant companion of these ten women, even if they didn't always show it.
In Rosa Sauer, Rosella Postorino presents a person with many flaws, someone who wants to fit into the rural environment of Gross-Parsch but who is always singled out as a Berliner and an outsider. Unsurprisingly, tensions arise between the ten women and Rosa finds herself in some difficult situations in which she makes a number of dubious decisions and, because of this, her character is not always pleasant. I couldn't decide whether I liked her or not but I would probably lean towards not. For instance, it isn't even clear what Rosa thinks of Nazism, one never know where her allegiances lie.
There is a feeling of suspense throughout the book that made me keep on reaching out for it but it almost always fizzles out. Reading this novel felt like being on the edge of a knife but you never get to cut yourself to experience how deep the pain can be.
Unfortunately, I felt that the story left a lot of loose ends and I suppose that real life during the war was like that. People came together under difficult and unexpected circumstances and then never saw each other again but I wanted some closure and didn't get it. Apart from that, it's a well-written book and I thought that the ending was especially poignant even if it was rather unexpected.
I did not know that Hitler had food tasters before reading this book but perhaps it should not have come as a surprise as his paranoia, especially at this stage of the war, is well known. What these women had to face, three times a day, seven days of the week is unimaginable. Can you imagine eating and constantly wondering whether that morsel will be your last? Can you comprehend the fear and the uncertainty, the desire to stay alive? I admit it left me slightly shaken and oddly frightened. Hitler never makes an appearance in this novel and yet his presence is keenly felt. It was not a nice feeling but it was well executed as I never doubted for a moment the terror that was the constant companion of these ten women, even if they didn't always show it.
In Rosa Sauer, Rosella Postorino presents a person with many flaws, someone who wants to fit into the rural environment of Gross-Parsch but who is always singled out as a Berliner and an outsider. Unsurprisingly, tensions arise between the ten women and Rosa finds herself in some difficult situations in which she makes a number of dubious decisions and, because of this, her character is not always pleasant. I couldn't decide whether I liked her or not but I would probably lean towards not. For instance, it isn't even clear what Rosa thinks of Nazism, one never know where her allegiances lie.
There is a feeling of suspense throughout the book that made me keep on reaching out for it but it almost always fizzles out. Reading this novel felt like being on the edge of a knife but you never get to cut yourself to experience how deep the pain can be.
Unfortunately, I felt that the story left a lot of loose ends and I suppose that real life during the war was like that. People came together under difficult and unexpected circumstances and then never saw each other again but I wanted some closure and didn't get it. Apart from that, it's a well-written book and I thought that the ending was especially poignant even if it was rather unexpected.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Vomit
Minor: Death of parent, Abortion, Blood, and Antisemitism
lucy12345's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Infidelity, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Rape, Sexual violence, and Abortion
Minor: Vomit
csilvestrii's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit, Abortion, and War
Minor: Sexual assault
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